- Hardcover: 704 pages
- Publisher: Viking Books; First Edition edition (Oct 1991)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0670839531
- ISBN-13: 978-0670839537
- Product Dimensions: 24.4 x 16 x 5.3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 862,982 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Needful Things
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
'An incredibly gifted writer, whose writing . . . is so fluid that you often forget that you're reading.' (Guardian )
'A sophisticated literary craftsman . . . his work anatomises . . . the social fabric of small-town American life.' (Observer ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
'A sophisticated literary craftsman . . . his work anatomises . . . the social fabric of small-town American life.' (Observer ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Review
'An incredibly gifted writer, whose writing ... is so fluid that you often forget that you're reading.' -- Guardian 'A sophisticated literary craftsman ... his work anatomises ... the social fabric of small-town American life.' -- Observer
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
By far one of Kings best novels, I first read this when i was about 16 and when i re-read it this year, it was even better!
I love the continuity of the Castle Rock inhabitants and the intrigue, excitement and gossip the new shop causes is so lifelike in it's depiction of how a small town community would react. It starts off almost sickly sweet as Leland Gaunt and his velvet jacket seduces all of the towns residents. Then with a sudden sadistic twist theres suddenly treachery, murder and, possibly the best scene in the book, a graphic bloodbath consisting of two of the female characters and some very sharp kitchen implements!
Kings style is so unique and enthralling i couldn't put it down either time i read it. Combining fantasy and horror with some well known characters this book is a must read.
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
After reading The Shining I was very quick in wanting to explore more of Stephen King's mastery and see what his other stories had to offer. I managed to get a handful including Insomniac, The Tommyknockers, The Dark Half and 'Salems Lot. However the first one that really grabbed my attention was this story i'm reviewing right now.
Needful Things is set in the town of Castle Rock, Maine, and a new shop of the title's name has just opened, and folks are intrigued by what the store has to offer. Business is flowing for the owner Mr Leland Gaunt, but soon all these happy customers will find they are paying for more than just their possessions.
This story is fantastic in the way that mixes affection with the malice of the whole theme. Much like The Shining, there is almost an elemental of reality in here, and I find the concept of seeing how far people will go to have their needful thing just spectacular.
There's dozens and dozens of characters throughout each with their own identifying features including the three main characters - The Sheriff Alan Pangborn, the girlfriend Polly Chalmers and the charming yet mysterious Leland Gaunt - and with such a huge story its just manageable to remember them all.
Of course, since this is a Stephen King novel, the violence here is absolutely of the richter scale, old grudges come to heads, friendships fall apart and religious beliefs become more than war of words. The images are really good, spot on in fact, that it can paint an image of these scenarios in the reader's mind.
I think as I went through the book, I felt a mixture of happiness, terror, sadness and curiosity, but there was a moment where I didn't feel hooked and did not enjoy it.
Buy this now ! :-) after all 'EVERYTHING IS FOR SALE'
Needful Things is set in the town of Castle Rock, Maine, and a new shop of the title's name has just opened, and folks are intrigued by what the store has to offer. Business is flowing for the owner Mr Leland Gaunt, but soon all these happy customers will find they are paying for more than just their possessions.
This story is fantastic in the way that mixes affection with the malice of the whole theme. Much like The Shining, there is almost an elemental of reality in here, and I find the concept of seeing how far people will go to have their needful thing just spectacular.
There's dozens and dozens of characters throughout each with their own identifying features including the three main characters - The Sheriff Alan Pangborn, the girlfriend Polly Chalmers and the charming yet mysterious Leland Gaunt - and with such a huge story its just manageable to remember them all.
Of course, since this is a Stephen King novel, the violence here is absolutely of the richter scale, old grudges come to heads, friendships fall apart and religious beliefs become more than war of words. The images are really good, spot on in fact, that it can paint an image of these scenarios in the reader's mind.
I think as I went through the book, I felt a mixture of happiness, terror, sadness and curiosity, but there was a moment where I didn't feel hooked and did not enjoy it.
Buy this now ! :-) after all 'EVERYTHING IS FOR SALE'
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I really loved this book! It is only my 6th SK book, and I think it has completly stood up to the high standards I have learnt to expect from him.
I felt, at the end of the book, like I really know all the characters and was truly interested in what happened to them. At first I found it slightly hard to remember all their names but after a few chapters I got the hang of it. Although, as already said, it had a slowish start, it soon picked up and I couldn't put it down!
I felt, at the end of the book, like I really know all the characters and was truly interested in what happened to them. At first I found it slightly hard to remember all their names but after a few chapters I got the hang of it. Although, as already said, it had a slowish start, it soon picked up and I couldn't put it down!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
needfull things
excellent book, couldn't put it down. It really makes you think about
whether you actually need things or just want them, as we have all done in the past,
Can't go wrong... Read more
whether you actually need things or just want them, as we have all done in the past,
Can't go wrong... Read more
Published 1 month ago by jan
Stephen is the King
Needful Things is not the best book that Stephen King has written, but i think that he doesn't know how to write bad books. Read more
Published 8 months ago by simak
Good story, poor ending.
The one thing SK does well is characterisation. The one thing SK does poorly, and has admitted to, is dialogue. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Lexicon
A fascinating page-turner
I found this story hard to put down. What a gifted writer King is and how he brings his characters and scenes to life! Read more
Published 12 months ago by Lepidina
I wish I could go back in time and read it again!
I enjoyed this book so much I wish I could go back in time to before I read it and read it again so I didn't know the ending! Read more
Published 17 months ago by Nojiggerchick
Typical King
I've met a few people who seem to put Stephen King down for the same reason The Beatles are often criticised: he's popular and therefore needs taking down a peg or two. Read more
Published 21 months ago by D. J. H. Thorn
Predictable King stuff
The ending is predictable about half way through the book. Not one of his best.
Published on 20 Oct 2009 by Mr. John-Paul Coetzee
Plays on peoples greed
Very well written again. It plays on peoples greed and insecurities. Its just plain downright SCARY! Read more
Published on 23 Aug 2009 by Marie Brice
Not bad
Needful things is not a bad book.
The problem I had with it is that it retreads old ground too much (if I have to hear about Polly's arthritis one more time!!! Read more
The problem I had with it is that it retreads old ground too much (if I have to hear about Polly's arthritis one more time!!! Read more
Published on 17 Aug 2009 by Zin
very dull - far from king's best
stephen king is a hit and miss artist of truly impeccable form. one book will be masterful and the next absolutely terrible. for me he just isn't consistent. Read more
Published on 18 July 2008 by Toby Andersen
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